1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to coin counters and more particularly to that class containing devices which effectively count coins as well as provide means to release a desired number of coins from within the coin enclosing chamber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art abounds with coin counters which effectively stack and count coins. U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,389 issued Oct. 24, 1950 to W. E. Becker teaches a device adapted with openings in the surface of a cylindrical hollow tube. The user grasps the edges of the coins exposed at one of the openings located at a selected height along the length of the tube, thus allowing a predetermined number of coins beneath to be released and subsequently wrapped in conventional coin wrappers. However, this device does not allow for the retention therein of coins between the discreet locations of the various openings spaced along the longitudinal axis of the tube. U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,378 issued Apr. 16, 1963 to W. W. Howard shows a cylindrical right angle hollow tube having an opening at one end thereof. The user fills the tube to a level which corresponds to a selected point on a monetary scale located on the surface of a transparent plastic tube. A coin wrapper of conventional design is employed to wrap the now counted quantity of coins. This device does not allow for easy, quick retrieval of a small quantity of coins, except by tipping over the entire apparatus, nor does the device accept various denominations of coins. The coin count is determined solely by the visual alignment of the plane of the uppermost surface of the topmost coin intersecting the external scale thereby allowing for error due to parallax aberations in the location of the user's eye relative to the apparatus and the coins therein.